Kind Crimson Eyes

Melody

     I startle awake with a gasp, my body trembling and cold with sweat. Immediately, I sit up and try to focus on my breathing like Misato taught me.
     In through the nose.
     Hold.
     Out through the mouth.
     Repeat.
 
     "It was just a dream." I tell myself.
"A nightmare. It wasn't real."
     I don't fully believe myself, but I say it again and again anyways.

     After Ive calmed myself and steadied my racing heart, I get up from my bed and feel my way through the dark and out into the hallway.

     It's quiet. Misato and Asuka usually stay up pretty late, so it has to be later than 1am.
     I tiptoe as quietly as I can to the front door, ghosting my hand along the wall so I don't run into anything.
     Once I reach the door, I quickly fumble with my shoes and slip outside, closing the door silently behind me.

     In a haze, I sleepily stumble up to Kaworu's suite. I'm not really sure why I'm going there. It's late and he'll be asleep. But even so, there's no way I'll knock on the door to find out. I don't want to bother him over something as stupid as a nightmare.

     When I reach his floor I hear the faint sound of a piano, and as I slowly approach his door, the music gets louder.
     I remember seeing a black grand piano in Kaworu's living room. It completely stood out and took up a lot of space.
     So it is him..
     He is still awake.

     I stand facing his door. I'm extremely tempted to knock, but ultimately decide against it. Instead, I sit down beside his door and close my eyes.
     I listen to the melody and let it flow through me. It reminds me a little of that woman from my memory. Their style is very similar.
     Kaworu plays as though he's been playing for years and years. It's hard to put into words. He's incredible...

     I'm not sure how long I sit and listen to him play. It seems like forever.
     It feels comforting to know he's behind the door. And even better being able to accept that it really was just a nightmare. He's perfectly fine.

     I laugh a little at myself for sitting outside his door like some kind of stalker.
     Pretty pathetic, Shinji...

     My eyelids begin to flutter. I can't seem to hold them open any more. The melody is putting me to sleep.
     It's so peaceful. I hope he never stops playing.

     Before I know it, I've drifted to sleep again.